IAF sergeant reveals chaotic scenes at New Delhi Railway Station, where overcrowding led to a tragic stampede, claiming 15 lives.
New Delhi, February 16: A tragic stampede at New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday night claimed the lives of 15 people and left many others injured, as thousands of devotees gathered to board trains for Maha Kumbh 2025 in Prayagraj.
The incident, which occurred around 10 PM, was triggered by severe overcrowding, a last-minute platform change announcement, and delays in train departures.
🔹 Eyewitnesses Recall Horror of the Stampede
An Indian Air Force (IAF) sergeant, Ajit, who witnessed the chaos, said despite repeated announcements urging people to avoid overcrowding, the situation spiraled out of control.
“We have a tri-service office at the railway station. When I was returning from duty, I couldn’t move due to the massive crowd. I tried convincing people to avoid gathering in large numbers, but no one listened. The administration was working hard, but the situation was unmanageable,” Ajit said.
Another eyewitness described the sheer panic and lack of control despite the presence of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and railway officials.
“The crowd was beyond limits. Even the administration and NDRF personnel couldn’t control it once it got too large. I have never seen such a massive crowd at the railway station, even during major festivals,” said a commuter.
🔹 How the Stampede Unfolded?
⚠️ Delays in train departures and the sale of around 1,500 general tickets contributed to the overcrowding.
⚠️ A last-minute platform change announcement forced thousands of passengers to rush towards a new platform, triggering panic.
⚠️ The foot overbridge and platform areas became dangerously congested, leading to people getting crushed in the crowd.
One of the victims’ relatives, Sanjay, lost his sister in the chaos.
“We were 12 people traveling to Maha Kumbh. We hadn’t even reached the platform yet and were stuck at the stairs. My family got caught in the crowd, and I lost my sister. We found her after half an hour, but she was already dead,” he said.
Another eyewitness described how the platform change announcement caused chaos.
“It was announced that the train arriving at platform 12 would now come on platform 16. People started rushing from both sides, and suddenly, the stampede happened. There was no one to control the crowd,” he added.
🔹 Devastated Families Speak Out
Among the affected passengers, Pappu, a resident of Bihar’s Patna, shared his grief.
“My mother died in the stampede. We were on our way home,” he said in tears.
🔹 Official Response & Investigation Underway
🚨 NDRF Commandant Daulat Ram Chaudhary confirmed that the situation is now under control and that the injured have been evacuated.
🚨 Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Railway, KPS Malhotra, acknowledged that while authorities anticipated a large crowd, the incident escalated too quickly to be contained.
“We expected the crowd, but everything happened in a fraction of time, leading to the stampede. The Railways will conduct a fact-finding inquiry to determine the exact cause of the incident,” he told reporters.
🚨 Railway Board’s Response:
✔️ A two-member high-level committee has been formed to investigate the cause of the stampede and recommend preventive measures.
✔️ Four additional special trains were run to manage the heavy rush of passengers.
✔️ Temporary entry restrictions were placed at the station to regain control.
“The number of passengers was exceptionally high today, so we ran four additional special trains. Some passengers fainted due to the congestion and were hospitalized. The situation is now under control,” said Dilip Kumar, Executive Director of Information & Publicity (ED/IP), Railway Board.
The Railway Ministry and Delhi Police are now investigating the safety lapses and mismanagement that led to this devastating tragedy.
As families grieve their loved ones, authorities have assured that measures will be taken to prevent such disasters in the future.
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New Delhi Railway Station, Delhi Stampede, Maha Kumbh 2025, Prayagraj Express, Train Delay Tragedy, Foot Over Bridge Stampede, NDRF Rescue, Crowd Management Failure, Railway Safety, India Train Accidents